World Press Photo of the Year highlights homophobia in Russia

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A picture of two gay lovers in St Petersburg has won the World Press Photo of the Year. Photographer Mads Nissen wanted to highlight the legal and social discrimination gay people in Russia face.

The photo in which the faces of Jon, 21, and Alex, 25, are picked out by light in a darkened bedroom, won the ‘contemporary issues’ category before taking the overall prize, beating more conventional conflict shots that the competition is best known for.

@MadsNissenPhoto! http://t.co/tIaWn56X4fpic.twitter.com/wmhlQ3oLvR— World Press Photo (@WorldPressPhoto) February 12, 2015

“Life for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people is becoming increasingly difficult in Russia,” Amsterdam-based World Press Photo said in a statement. “Sexual minorities face legal and social discrimination.”

Jury chair Michele McNally, director of photography at The New York Times, said the image was “aesthetically powerful, and it has humanity.”

The photo was taken by Mads Nissen, who was born in 1979, a staff photographer for the Danish daily newspaper Politiken.

Today is a really really special day for me and the LGBTs in Russia. My image of Jon and Alex is The World Press Photo of the Year!!! #WPP

— Mads Nissen (@MadsNissenPhoto) February 12, 2015

Nissen’s “Homophobia in Russia” work featured in Human Rights Watch’s latest report License to Harm.

My 'Homophobia in Russia' work featured in Human Rights Watch latest report License to Harm http://t.co/gBivPeouDRpic.twitter.com/4Z4Cr32bTr

— Mads Nissen (@MadsNissenPhoto) January 31, 2015

The first prize for a single spot news image went to Bulent Kilic of Turkey for a picture of an injured girl surrounded by police and soaked by water cannons at a protest in Istanbul.

“Istanbul Protest” and “Ebola in Sierra Leone” also picked up awards in the competition.

World Press Photo 2014 – a selection of the winning entries

• THE BECKHAM CATCH

By Al Bello, USA. Photo details Credit: Reuters/Al Bello/Gety Images

• ORPHANED RHINO

By Ami Vitale, USA. Photo details. Credit: Reuters/Ami Vitale/National Geographic

• THE FINAL GAME

By Bao Tailiang, China Photo details. Credit: Reuters/Bao Tailiang/Chengdu Economic Daily.

• ISTANBUL PROTEST

By Bulent Kilic, Turkey. Photo details. Credit: Reuters/Bulent Kilic/AFP/.

• FAMILY LOVE 1993-2014

By Darcy Padilla, USA. Photo details. Credit: Reuters/Bulent Kilic/AFP.

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• MASS ABDUCTION IN NIGERIA

By Glenna Gordon, USA. Photo details. Credit: Reuters/Glenna Gordon.

• JON AND ALEX

By Mads Nissen, Denmark. Photo details. Credit: Reuters/Mad Nissen/Politiken/Panos Pictures/Scanpix.

• RESCUE OPERATION

By Massimo Sestini, Italy. Photo details. Credit: Reuters/Massimo Sestini.

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• CADETS

By Paolo Verzone, Italy. Photo details. Credit: Reuters/Paolo Verzone/Agence Vu

• EBOLA IN SIERRA LEONE

By Pete Muller, USA. Photo details. Credit: Reuters/Pete Muller/Prime/National Geographic/The Washington Post/.

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• LAURINDA

By Raphaela Rosella, Australia. Photo details. Credit: Reuters/Raphaela Rosella/Oculi.

• CHRISTMAS FACTORY

By Ronghui Chen, China. Photo details. Credit: Reuters/Ronghui Chen/City Express.

• KITCHEN TABLE

By Sergei Ilnitsky, Russia. Photo details. Credit: Reuters/Sergei Ilnitsky/EPA.

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• BLUE SKY DAYS

By Tomas Van Houtryve, Belgium. Photo details. Credit: Reuters/Tomas van Houtryve/VII.

• MONKEY TRAINING FOR A CIRCUS

By Yongzhi Chu, China. Photo details. Credit: Reuters/Yongzhi Chu.

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